Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to a recording apparatus using an ink-jet method.
Description of the Related Art
A recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-208151 performs recording operation by supplying ink from an ink tank to a recording head via a sub tank. The recording apparatus has a variable volume member (diaphragm valve) between the sub tank and the recording head. The variable volume member has an on-off valve function of opening and closing an ink flow passage. Sub-tank filling operation is performed by increasing and decreasing the volume of the variable volume member to supply ink from the ink tank to the sub tank, thereby filling the sub tank with the ink. When the sub-tank filling operation is performed, the amount of ink contained in the sub tank is detected by means of a detection sensor provided inside the sub tank.
However, the inventors found that, if the structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-208151 is used, in some cases, it is impossible to detect the amount of ink contained in the sub tank accurately when the sub-tank filling operation is performed. More specifically, the inventors found that it is sometimes detected erroneously that the sub tank is filled with ink despite the fact that there is an empty space inside the sub tank.